Category: Howe News Bulletin

AUSTIN – Texas Health and Human Services is providing updated guidance to the almost 17,000 regulated child care operations throughout the state – including new screening requirements for staff and visitors – as the agency continues to closely monitor the evolving novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“Protecting the health and safety of children in the settings we regulate is paramount,” said David Kostroun, HHS Deputy Executive Commissioner of Regulatory Services. “We are taking these proactive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard children and their families.”

Effective immediately, all current child care providers will implement the following guidance, consistent with new requirements in accordance with state law, federal guidance, and Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent disaster declaration:

• Prohibit any person except the following from accessing an operation: operation staff; persons with legal authority to enter, including law enforcement officers, HHSC Child Care Licensing staff, and Department of Family and Protective Services staff; professionals providing services to children; children enrolled at the operation; and parents or legal guardians who have children enrolled and present at the operation.    
• Require pickup and drop-off of children outside of the operation, unless it’s determined that there is a legitimate need for the parent to enter an operation.  
• Before allowing entry into the operation, screen all individuals listed above, including taking the temperature of each person upon arrival at the operation each day, and deny entry to any person who meets any of the following criteria:

1. A temperature of 100.4°F or above;
2. Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and low-grade fever;
3. In the previous 14 days has had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19; is under investigation for COVID-19; or is ill with a respiratory illness; or
4. In the previous 14 days has traveled internationally to countries with widespread, sustained community transmission. For updated information on affected countries visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/travelers/index.html.

• Ensure that each child is provided individual meals and snacks. Do not serve family-style meals.

Because this situation is rapidly evolving, child care providers are highly encouraged to contact the Child Care Licensing (CCL) team at MSC@hhsc.state.tx.us. CCL is prepared to answer questions, provide technical assistance, and grant regulatory flexibility to operations when needed to protect children in care.

Stay up-to-date on the latest guidance to providers by visiting the HHS COVID-19 page.  

Howe ISD has announced this afternoon that there will not be school the week of March 16-20 in an attempt to minimize exposure to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.

The ISD released the following statement:

Keith Gary, widely known as Sheriff Gary passed away this morning at the age of 84.

Gary ended a 46-year career in law enforcement in 2016 when he retired as Grayson County Sheriff. He became sheriff on Jan. 1, 1997 and was re-elected four times.

Gary was born in Laredo, Texas and at age 12 moved to San Antonio. He started college as a music major at St. Mary’s before transferring to Sam Houston State where he met his wife Uva. He graduated from Lamar University in with a B.S. in Social Science.

As a student at Lamar, Gary was required to take a speech class and chose the topic “The Need for a Republican Party in Jefferson County” where he interviewed the Republican Party chair in Jefferson County to get information. Years later, he went to a meeting of the Republican party, which was in its infancy in Texas, at the time, and a lawyer approached him. The Northern part of the district (Tyler) had gotten the appointment for U.S. attorney, so the southern part of the district wanted to have a person from Beaumont or Port Arthur appointed as Marshal. He asked the lawyer, “You’re really serious?” and the man replied, “Oh yes!” At the library in Beaumont, all he could find about Federal Marshals was a breakdown of the Department of Justice from a few government textbooks. In the 1960s, a Marshal was an administrator with a group of deputies to direct.

A few days later, the lawyer called him to ask if he had made a decision about the Marshal job and said, “We have to get someone in Tyler by Sunday to be interviewed.” Gary replied, “I’m not sure I am qualified for that, but go ahead if you want and submit my name.”

He drove 200 miles and arrived at the old Blackstone Hotel and there were eight-to-ten cowboy-types were standing there, all wearing western hats and boots. Gary walks up in an olive green suit and flat shoes, at the end of the line and where all the other men were waiting to be interviewed by a panel of judges.

He was questioned by a panel of eight who explained they would let him know their decision.

“The next day, Monday morning I went to the insurance office where I worked and about 10:30 and the receptionist said there was a telegram for me. I opened it up and it said, ‘It is my pleasure to nominate you for U.S. Marshal, signed John G. Tower,’ who was a Senator in Texas at the time. It took about five to six months to do a background investigation. I was sworn in and served in that capacity for eight years, from 1969-1977. Then the politics went against me.”

Jimmy Carter was elected President which meant all the Republican appointees were on the way out. While the family lived in Corpus Christi, he earned a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Texas A&M, then completed another bachelor’s degree as a Chemical Dependency Counselor through a distance learning program from the University of New York.

“I liked law enforcement so much that I decided to stay in the field. I became a Federal Probation officer but had to be stationed in Corpus Christi, where the vacancy was and we lived there for three years. I wanted to get back into the Eastern District because of the ties I had in the area. In 1980, I applied for the exact same position in Sherman and they selected me to open the new office.”

He lived in Grayson County for a little while, while wife Uva and children stayed behind. Brian was going to be a junior, in 11th grade and BeBe was an 8th grader. He used the time alone to search for the best school district in Grayson, visited several and ultimately chose Howe. He continued as Federal Probation Officer for the next eight years.

The Republicans had won back the Presidency and with Senator Phil Gramm and Gary becoming friends, he applied for the Marshal job again, went to Washington, DC to meet with Gramm, who had been a professor at Texas A&M before being elected. Gary asked how A&M was going to do that year in football.

Gramm responded, “I hate to rush you off, but I have a committee meeting and I really need to go. I appreciate you flying up here. We’ll get around to looking at this as soon as we can. So stay alert and we’ll get back with you.”

They walked to the door of the office. Gramm reached over and took him by the elbow and said, “You know what? With your background, there’s no need to interview anybody else. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll be our Marshal.” So he went back to the Marshal job in Tyler and spent eight years doing that.

In 1994, he decided to retire and return to Grayson County. Gary and wife Uva tried to buy a lot in Howe, but couldn’t find one and finally found a builder for a house in Sherman. He was approached about being Sheriff of the County, ran for Sheriff and was the first Republican to be elected.

At the end of his days as Sheriff, he said he was most proud of the fact that the jail eventually had 97 jailers and every position was filled and 200 additional beds had been built. For the last 96 beds, they didn’t have to pass a bond issue to make additional room. Not a penny was owed because they found innovative ways to add beds. Gary said he wishes we didn’t have to lock people up, but there are people who are dangerous to society that have to be corralled.

The low point in his career was when five violent inmates escaped from Grayson County jail. The leadership team is constantly reassessing the security in the jail, so that type of incident will never happen again. He believes it is a much better agency now.

The U.S. Marshal Service is the oldest law enforcement agency in the country, founded in 1789. The President appoints, Senate confirms. At age 34, he was the second youngest Marshal in the U.S. The first time he was a Marshal, Richard Nixon was in office. There are only 94 Marshals in the United States and four in Texas. He retired from Marshal service in 1994.

One of his most memorable times was during his first time as a Marshal 1969-1977. The U.S. Marshals had an annual conference in Washington, D.C. and he had been chosen to be on a 10-member advisory board to the Director of the Marshal service. Patricia Nixon, when Nixon was Vice President, held a tea party in the Rose Garden for the 94 Marshals and he had the privilege of speaking with her and reported that “she was a very quiet lady, but easy to talk to”.

A public reception for his retirement was held on August 31, 2016 in the West Courtroom of the Grayson County Courthouse.

“The idea that we’re protecting our loved ones, protecting the citizens of the county, makes you want to get up,” Gary said. “I know that sounds corny, but it’s really true. You want to get up and get out there and meet the public and do what we can to keep an orderly society.” – Sheriff Keith Gary.

Gay Brennan contributed to this article.

The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches have delivered their All-Region teams and the Howe Lady Bulldogs placed three starters in Class 3A Region 2. Seniors Ally Harvey and Jenna Honore were selected along with junior Sierra Copeland.

The full list for Class 3A, Region 2

Name	School	Coach
Faith Acker	Winnsboro	Robert Cochran
Kelley Akins	Ponder	Jimmy Avery
Essence Allen	Tatum	Patricia Nelson
Laiken Allen	Winnsboro	Robert Cochran
Haley Arledge	Bells	Chris Arledge
Meghan Brewington	Mineola	Brad Gibson
Sierra Copeland	Howe	Derek Lands
Rebekah Crane	MP Chapel Hill	Matt Garrett
Sabria Dean	Mineola	Brad Gibson
Mason Garrett	MP Chapel Hill	Matt Garrett
Cheznie Haley	Bells	Chris Arledge
Alyssa Hall	White Oak	Desiree Boyett
Ally Harvey	Howe	Derek Lands
Jenna Honore	Howe	Derek Lands
Karly Ivy	Ponder	Jimmy Avery
Chanlee Oakes	Rains	Laura Jenkins
Tabitha Parker	Edgewood	Chris Lewis
Rachel Pinnell	Winnsboro	Robert Cochran
Peyton Steen	Mt. Vernon	Brad Floyd
Hadley Williams	Pottsboro	Keith Bates

District 10-3A Superlative Awards

District MVP – Samuel Tormos – Van Alstyne

Offensive Player of the Year – J.J. Boling – Van Alstyne

Co-Defensive Player of the Year – DJ Brown – Leonard, Cam Montgomery – Van Alstyne

Newcomer of the Year – Tanner Carter – Bells

Sixth Man of the Year – Jake Claborn – Whitewright

Coach of the Year – Russell Best – Van Alstyne.

First Team All-District

Bo Baker – Bells, Cade Doggett – Bells, Jonathan Garza – Blue Ridge, Tanner Reaves – Bonham, Jaylen Duncan – Leonard, Jayson Beckett – Van Alstyne, Aaron Pitt – Whitewright, Dylan Cordell – Whitewright.

Second Team All-District

Blake Rolen – Bells, Keaton High – Bells, Kaden Walker – Blue Ridge, Utah Porath – Blue Ridge, Michael Crosby – Bonham, Caden Harmon – Howe, Jace Lacook – Leonard, Drelin Davis – Van Alstyne, Reilly Evans – Whitewright, Kayden Carraway – Whitewright.

Honorable Mentions for Howe were Ayden Norton, Colton Thurman, and Austin Haley.

Academic All-District:

Austin Haley, Ayden Norton, Cameron Lankford, Jake Fabacher, Kolby Taylor, Luke Lopez, Ethan Lopez, Colton Thurman, Eli Wilson.

The Howe Lady Bulldogs ended their historic season over the weekend and today the district awards were released with Howe taking numerous honors. Howe senior Jenna Honore was named the District 10-3A MVP with teammates Ally Harvey becoming the District Defensive MVP. The two flipped places from a year ago when Honore was the Defensive MVP and Harvey was the District MVP. Junior Sierra Copeland was named the District’s Offensive MVP.

Howe sophomore Trinity Williams brings home the District’s Sixth Person Award and the Howe coaching staff shared the top honors with Bells.

The only non-Howe player to receive be awarded a superlative honor was freshman Katie Long of Whitewright who was awarded Newcomer of the Year.

Named to the first-team all-district squad was Cassidy Anderson took second-team honors. Katie Grogan and Landery Sanders were given honorable mention.

All nine players on Howe’s rosters were named to the Academic All-District Team.

District 10-3A First Team All-District

Haley Arledge – Bells, Cheznie Hale – Bells, Gabby Smith – Bells, Cassidy Anderson – Howe, Raven Fox – Leonard, Torin Riddick – Van Alstyne, Skylar Gerner – Whitewright.

District 10-3A Second Team All-District

Courtney Davidson – Bells, Mia Moore – Bells, Olivia Pedigo – Bells, Kylie Mathers – Blue Ridge, Emma Bounds – Bonham, Molly Wilson – Howe, Nakita Harris – Leonard, Makynzie Price – Leonard, Micah Welch – Van Alstyne, Natalie Alexander – Whitewright.

District 10-3A Honorable Mention

Kayton Arnold – Bells, Taylor Langwell – Blue Ridge, Katie Grogan – Howe, Landery Sanders – Howe, Brooke Perry – Leonard, Alexa Rhone – Leonard, Kelsie Adams – Van Alstyne, Emma Donald – Van Alstyne, Mireya Mullins – Van Alstyne, Callie McGee – Whitewright, Gracie Robinson – Whitewright, Emily Looney – Whitewright, Makayla Alexander – Whitewright.

District 10-3A Academic All-District

Haley Arledge – Bells, Kayton Arnold – Bells, Hannah Bondarenko – Bells, Courtney Davidson – Bells, Cheznie Hale – Bells, Landri Hicks – Bells, Mia Moore – Bells, Olivia Pedigo – Bells, Gabby Smith – Bells, Jaiden Tocquigny – Bells, Christina Dauster – Blue Ridge, Kylie Mathers – Blue Ridge, Abigail Sullivan – Blue Ridge, Andriana Edwards – Bonham, Carsyn Hemby – Bonham, Chyrsi Hemby – Bonham, Hannah Worley – Bonham, Cassidy Anderson – Howe, Sierra Copeland – Howe , Paetyn Ford- Howe , Katie Grogan – Howe, Ally Harvey – Howe, Jenna Honore – Howe, Landery Sanders – Howe, Trinity Williams – Howe, Molly Wilson- Howe, Skylar Feagan – Leonard, Raven Fox – Leonard, Nakita Harris – Leonard, Chloe Long – Leonard, Brooke Perry – Leonard, Alexa Rhone – Leonard, Madison Vaughn – Leonard, Kelsie Adams – Van Alstyne, Callie Blankenship – Van Alstyne, Kate Carson – Van Alstyne, Emma Donald – Van Alstyne, Bailey Henderson – Van Alstyne, Tinsley Love – Van Alstyne, Mireya Mullins – Van Alstyne, Torin Riddick – Van Alstyne, Alyssa Taylor – Van Alstyne, Micah Welch – Van Alstyne, Makayla Alexander – Whitewright, Natalie Alexander – Whitewright, Emily Barnhurst – Whitewright, Skylar Gerner – Whitewright, Ashton Long – Whitewright, Katy Long – Whitewright, Emily Looney – Whitewright, Callie McGee – Whitewright, Gracie Robinson – Whitewright.

The Howe Area Chamber of Commerce decided to determine the Class of 2020 Howe Hall of Honor nominations as a board this year.  They came up with eight deserving individuals to be eligible with four in the living category and four in the deceased category which has been the order for the past five years.  The voting will go out to the public on March 1 and will end on March 30.  The winners will be officially inducted by the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce at an awards ceremony held on May 1, 2020, at 6:30 pm at the chamber office. Voting can take place by clicking here.

This year’s living nominees are Dale Rideout, Linda Wall, Pat Stewart, and Sam Haigis.  The deceased nominees are Lana Rideout, Billy Joe Wheeler, Duglas Wortham, and Wyline Poole.

Dale Rideout is currently serving a city council position and is a past chamber president.  He’s also been on the planning and zoning commission as well as owned and published the Howe Enterprise/Texoma Enterprise for the longest tenure of any owner.  He is a member of Boy Scouts of America, the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Howe Friends of the Library, Howe Chamber of Commerce,

Linda Wall was named the  1997 Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year and is Howe’s mega-volunteer. She served in many capacities for the Howe Chamber of Commerce, First United Methodist Church, Cub Scout Den Leader. She was very active in PTA and helped push forward a plan to start a band program at Howe ISD. Wall was also a leader of the Friends of the Library and has led the charge for Peggy’s Porch for many years.

Pat Stewart has been associated with the Howe ISD in numerous roles including teacher and school board member for nearly 50 years. She began teaching in Howe in the 1965-66 school year until 2001- 02. She then became the first female school board member in 2003 and served in that capacity until 2014.

Sam Haigis is most known for his long tenure on the city council, but he also served as a scout leader and helped with the formation of the Howe Band Boosters which was the founding block of the Pride of Howe Marching Band.  Haigis has served as Mayor Pro Tem for the majority of his time on the city council. 

Lana Rideout was a 2-time Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year recipient with one coming in two separate decades (1987, 1998).  She captured the history of Howe from the late 1970s through 2013 as the editor of the Howe Enterprise/Texoma Enterprise.  She was a longtime advocate of the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce and served as a board member for many years.  Rideout was also a founding member of the Howe Community Library and the Howe Historical Society.

Billy Joe Wheeler was a school board member and a city councilman who also owned Downtown Howe real estate for a number of years.  He partnered with other community leaders to help build Bicentennial Park which contains three baseball fields along Highway 75.  Wheeler was a strong advocate of family life in the church as he served as a member of the First Baptist Church of Howe for over 60 years.

Dug Wortham is a former mayor of Howe.  He taught in the Howe ISD for six years and had served as a counselor for the Grayson County School Superintendent’s Office.  His civic endeavors included the Texoma Regional Planning Commission, Grayson County Mental Health and Retardation Board, The Grayson County Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, Little League baseball, and the Texoma Livestock Exposition. 

Wyline Pool was employed by Howe ISD for 31 years.  She came to Howe in 1945 where she was a classroom teacher for six years before becoming principal for 21 years.  She was a member of the Texas State Teachers Association and served as vice-president and president of the Grayson County unit of TSTA and one year as secretary of District TSTA.  She is the daughter of W.P. Wheeler who was Howe Superintendent for 11 years. 

Previous inductees:

Class of 2015

Jabez Haning, W.P. Thompson, A.M. Ferguson, Mame Roberts, Charles R. Thompson, Arthur Boyle, Tony Brinkley, L.B. Kirby

Norma Wallace, Ray Bledsoe, Carrie Waller, Elmer Schenk.

Class of 2016

Norman Dickey, Jimmy Bearden, Steve Simmons.

Class of 2017

Donal Gilstrap, Jean Norman, J.J. Chisum, Bob Walker.

Class of 2018

Bob Williams, Tommy Skipworth, Norman Bennett, Harold Taylor.

Class of 2019

Bobby Sollis, Donna Jarma, Lowell Thompson, Marion Allison.

The chamber will also announce the Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Volunteer Organization of the Year.